‘Poor’ Church has pocketed millions, Catholic and elite schools bank huge surpluses
SYDNEY’S Catholic schools banked a whopping $184 million in surplus funds in a year, despite crying poor at new government grant reforms. SEE THE LIST
NSW
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SYDNEY’S Catholic schools banked a whopping $184 million in surplus funds in a year, despite crying poor at new government grant reforms.
The Church pocketed $1.36 billion in taxpayer funds and $419 million in fees during 2015, its latest financial records reveal.
Despite the surplus, the Church is threatening to double school fees as the Turnbull government fine-tunes taxpayer funding to target the nation’s neediest students.
Elite private schools are also generating windfalls, The Daily Telegraph’s investigation into private school finances has revealed.
Sydney Church of England Grammar School Shore spun a $13 million surplus in 2015 after receiving $4.8 million in government grants and $58.5 million in fees and donations.
Knox Grammar made a $12.7 million surplus after pocketing $7.8 million in grants and $73.8 million from annual fees as high as $30,600. A spokesman said the surplus was “directly invested in programs to benefit our students’’.
Trinity Grammar, which recently built an $18.2 million aquatic centre, banked a $7.6 million surplus in 2015, after receiving $11.5 million in grants and $54.4 million in fees and donations.
Bellevue Hill’s The Scots College made a $7.7 million surplus, while Ascham girls’ school made $4.6 million.
St Catherine’s School in Waverley, building a $63 million auditorium with an orchestra pit and a water polo pool, made a $7.2 million surplus in 2015 after getting $5.3 million in taxpayer funds.
Headmistress Julie Townsend said the school “reinvests any surpluses back ... for the benefit of the girls’ education’’. “That is the legal requirement of a not-for-profit school,’’ she said.
SCEGGS principal Jenny Allum said the school’s $2.5 million surplus was invested in capital works.
At the other end of the spectrum, St Clair High School principal Sally Smithard dreams of a second-hand bus.
“We would love to buy a minibus for our kids,’’ Ms Smithard said yesterday.
“We’re not on a train line, so excursions are really expensive. I’m amazed at how many kids haven’t been across the Harbour Bridge.’’
A Catholic Education Commission NSW spokesman said the government’s funding reforms would force some Catholic schools to more than double their fees. He defended the size of the surplus, saying it would be used to “build new schools’’.
Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham warned the Church yesterday that there was “no reason” to raise fees.
The surpluses are outlined in reports lodged with the federal Education Department, and obtained by The Telegraph through the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission.
PRIVATE SCHOOL PROFITS
Sydney Catholic Schools
Government grants $722.9 million
Other revenue (fees) $225 million
Employee expenses $633.7 million
Interest payments $11.3 million
Other expenses $199 million
Surplus $104.2 million
Catholic Education Office Diocese of Parramatta
Government grants $448.2 million
Other revenue $144.3 million
Employee expenses $397.6 million
Interest $5 million
Other expenses $132.4 million
Surplus $57.4 million
Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong
Government grants $191.4 million
Other revenue (fees) $50 million
Employee expenses $159.5 million
Interest $4.8 million
Other expenses $54.9 million
Surplus $22.3 million
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Kincoppal — Rose Bay
Government grants — $3.5 million
Other revenue (fees) - $26.6 million
Employee expenses $16.9 million
Other expenses $10.1 million
Surplus $2.8 million
Catholic Girls’ school in Rose Bay attended by Greater Sydney Commission head and prime minister’s wife Lucy Turnbull, Princess Michael of Kent, horse trainer Gai Waterhouse and journalist Samantha Armytage.
Year 11 & 12 student fee $28,845
Cranbrook School — Bellevue Hill
Government grants — $5 million
Other revenue (fees) $47 million
Employee expenses $31.4 million
Other expenses $18.4 million
Surplus $3.4 million
Anglican boys’ school in Bellevue Hill attended by the late billionaire Kerry Packer and his son James.
Year 11 & 12 fees $31,218
Trinity Grammar School — Summer Hill
Government grants $11.5 million
Other revenue (fees) $54.4 million
Employee expenses $38 million
Other expenses $20 million
Surplus $7.6 million
The Anglican boys’ school boasts a recording studio with 30 music studios and has built an $18.2 million aquatic centre with underwater cameras.
Year 11 & 12 fees $32,620
The King’s School — Parramatta
Government grants $9.1 million
Other revenue (fees) $56.4 million
Employee expenses $35.3 million
Other expenses $26 million
Surplus $3.6 million
Former NSW Premier Mike Baird attended Australia’s oldest independent school, which boasts its own rifle range.
Year 12 fee $34,323
SCEGGS — Darlinghurst
Government grants $3 million
Other revenue (fees) $29.8 million
Employee expenses $20.9 million
Other expenses $8.8 million
Surplus $2.5 million
Anglican girls’ school in Darlinghurst attended by Margaret Whitlam, film director Gillian Armstrong and actor Claudia Karvan.
Year 11 & 12 fees $36,196
St Catherine’s School Waverley
Government grants $5.3 million
Other revenue (fees) $30.8 million
Employee expenses $20.2 million
Other expenses $8.7 million
Surplus $7.2 million
Anglican girls’ school in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is building a $63 million auditorium with an orchestra pit, water polo pool and flyover tower for theatre productions.
Year 12 fee $33,826
St Aloysius College — Milsons Point (2016 data)
Government grants $8.8 million
Other revenue (fees) $23.4 million
Employee expenses $19.8 million
Other expenses $10.7 million
Surplus $2.5 million
Catholic Jesuit boys’ school attended by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Australian Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey, immunologist Sir Gustav Nossal and former NSW Premier Nick Greiner.
Years 7-12 fees $17,624
The Scots College — Bellevue Hill
Government grants $6.6 million
Other revenue (fees) $71.4 million
Employee expenses $43.2 million
Other expenses $26.4 million
Surplus $7.7 million
Old boys include property developer Harry Triguboff and the late artist Brett Whiteley
Fees not published
Ascham School
Government grants $3.4 million
Other revenue (fees) $37.7 million
Employee expenses $26.3 million
Other expenses $10.2 million
Surplus $4.6 million
Girls’ school set in 4.4 ha of grounds in Edgecliff. Fees not published.
Shore (Sydney Church of England Grammar School)
Government grants $4.8 million
Other revenue (fees) $58.5 million
Employee expenses $33.9 million
Other expenses $16.2 million
Surplus $13 million
Church of England boys’ school overlooking Sydney Harbour is planning a $53 million sports centre with a new indoor pool suitable for water polo.
Year 11 & 12 fees $29,940
Knox Grammar
Government grants $7.8 million
Other revenue (fees) $73.8 million
Employee expenses $42 million
Other expenses $29.7 million
Surplus $12.7 million
Year 11 & 12 fees $30,600
Abbotsleigh school
Government grants $4.5 million
Other revenue (fees) $41.5 million
Employee expenses $30.3 million
Other expenses $15.3 million
Surplus $1.9 million
Anglican girls’ school in Wahroonga
Year 11 & 12 fees $30,920
Northern Beaches Christian School
Government grants $11 million
Other revenue (fees) $13.3 million
Employee expenses $13.1 million
Other expenses $7.4 million
Surplus $3.7 million
Year 11 & 12 fees $14,900
Barker College
Government grants $7.7 million
Other revenue $50.2 million
Employee expenses $44.4 million
Other expenses $16.2 million
Surplus $2.3 million
Anglican co-ed school in Hornsby
Year 10 to 12 fees $30,490
Source: 2015 school financial statements filed with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). Figures rounded. 2017 fees from school websites.
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